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| Remains at Lake Mead Belong to Man Who Drowned in ’70s | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Skeletal remains found at Lake Mead last fall have been identified as those of a North Las Vegas man who drowned nearly 50 years ago, Nevada officials said. | Skeletal remains found at Lake Mead last fall have been identified as those of a North Las Vegas man who drowned nearly 50 years ago, Nevada officials said. |
| Stacey Welling, a spokeswoman for Clark County, said on Wednesday that the man had been identified as Donald P. Smith, 39, of North Las Vegas. | Stacey Welling, a spokeswoman for Clark County, said on Wednesday that the man had been identified as Donald P. Smith, 39, of North Las Vegas. |
| Mr. Smith’s death was ruled accidental from drowning, the authorities said. He was identified through DNA analysis and reports from April 1974, when he drowned. It was unclear whether the authorities in the area had any missing persons records or open investigations tied to that name. | Mr. Smith’s death was ruled accidental from drowning, the authorities said. He was identified through DNA analysis and reports from April 1974, when he drowned. It was unclear whether the authorities in the area had any missing persons records or open investigations tied to that name. |
| The National Park Service said in October that a dive operator had found a human bone at Callville Bay, on the northwestern side of Lake Mead, according to KVVU-TV, a Las Vegas news channel. A subsequent search turned up more remains that belonged to the same person. | The National Park Service said in October that a dive operator had found a human bone at Callville Bay, on the northwestern side of Lake Mead, according to KVVU-TV, a Las Vegas news channel. A subsequent search turned up more remains that belonged to the same person. |
| Lake Mead, about 30 miles east of Las Vegas, is the largest reservoir in the United States and a critical source of water for 25 million people across seven states. | Lake Mead, about 30 miles east of Las Vegas, is the largest reservoir in the United States and a critical source of water for 25 million people across seven states. |
| Several sets of human remains were pulled from the parched lake last year, the discoveries driven by a two-decade drought made worse by climate change. | Several sets of human remains were pulled from the parched lake last year, the discoveries driven by a two-decade drought made worse by climate change. |
| The authorities have been able to identify some of the remains, including those of a man last seen swimming in the lake with his daughter more than 20 years ago. | The authorities have been able to identify some of the remains, including those of a man last seen swimming in the lake with his daughter more than 20 years ago. |
| Other human remains discovered in the lake continue to confound investigators, including a body that was found last May in a metal barrel on the shore, which led to speculation in Las Vegas that the person might have been a victim of organized crime. Weeks later, another set of remains was found half-buried in sand. Then in July, more remains were discovered at Swim Beach, on the western edge of the lake. | Other human remains discovered in the lake continue to confound investigators, including a body that was found last May in a metal barrel on the shore, which led to speculation in Las Vegas that the person might have been a victim of organized crime. Weeks later, another set of remains was found half-buried in sand. Then in July, more remains were discovered at Swim Beach, on the western edge of the lake. |
| Despite a near-constant stream of wet weather across much of the West since December, water levels at Lake Mead remain relatively low. | Despite a near-constant stream of wet weather across much of the West since December, water levels at Lake Mead remain relatively low. |
| As of this week, the lake was filled to 28 percent capacity, according to the Bureau of Reclamation, which manages water and power in the West. The latest measurements of the lake, taken in February, showed its water levels at 1,047 feet, down more than 19 feet from the same time last year and down more than 40 feet from 2021. | As of this week, the lake was filled to 28 percent capacity, according to the Bureau of Reclamation, which manages water and power in the West. The latest measurements of the lake, taken in February, showed its water levels at 1,047 feet, down more than 19 feet from the same time last year and down more than 40 feet from 2021. |
| The lake’s declining water levels in recent years have pushed the federal government to take steps to conserve water in the Colorado River basin. In 2021, the federal government declared a water shortage at Lake Mead for the first time. Then last June, because of worsening conditions, the Bureau of Reclamation issued an emergency request to states to propose immediate cuts for 2023 in order to prevent the reservoir from reaching critically low levels. Two months later, Arizona and Nevada faced a fresh round of restrictions on the amount of water they could pump out of the river. | The lake’s declining water levels in recent years have pushed the federal government to take steps to conserve water in the Colorado River basin. In 2021, the federal government declared a water shortage at Lake Mead for the first time. Then last June, because of worsening conditions, the Bureau of Reclamation issued an emergency request to states to propose immediate cuts for 2023 in order to prevent the reservoir from reaching critically low levels. Two months later, Arizona and Nevada faced a fresh round of restrictions on the amount of water they could pump out of the river. |
| The future of the lake remains uncertain as large parts of Nevada remain under a moderate to severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. | The future of the lake remains uncertain as large parts of Nevada remain under a moderate to severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. |
| McKenna Oxenden contributed reporting. | McKenna Oxenden contributed reporting. |